WHSAA Fall 2014 #2 Board of Directors Meeting Results

Changes to Football Practices, Athletes competing in Multiple Sports in the same season, golf, indoor track, as well as soccer standings, were some of the topics discussed at the second Fall 2014 meeting, of the Wyoming High School Activities Association Board of Directors.

Football Practice Rule Change:

The board passed on second reading, making it official, changes to rule 5.10.2 and 7.7.11, which would reduce the number of football practice days, before a player can compete in any kind of game, from 10 to 9.

The reasoning for this, is that in every football class except for 4A, if a team is competing in a zero week game/scrimmage/exhibition, etc..there are no possible days for an athlete to make up a practice, before that zero week contest, if they end up missing practice for a good reason, or if a practice is cancelled.

The idea was submitted by Coach John Scott of Tongue River.

Also the board passed on second reading, adding additional words to rule 7.7.12 regarding football practice time.

No single practice may exceed 3 hours, and the total practice time on days with multiple practice session may not exceed 5 hours.

Warm-up, stretching, speed and agility drills and cool down are considered part of practice.

Other things such as meetings, film study, water and rest breaks, injury treatment, weight training, voluntary conditioning and teaching period/walk through simulations without equipment, are not considered part of practice.

As for contact in practice, full contact and live action, can be no more than 1/2 the practice time during each week.

Athletes Competing In Multiple State Championship Events In The Same Season:

The board passed on second reading, making it official, changes to rule 5.10.3, that if an athlete moves from one sport to another that is played in the same season, that athlete must compete in at least one regular season contest, before he/she is eligible to compete in the state championship event, for that sport.

An example provided, was that there have been a number of wrestlers, who after the state meet, then competed at the state indoor track and field meet, which is the following weekend, without competing in a regular season indoor track and field meet. This has drawn complaints from parents, coaches and athletes not just from other teams, but from within the team itself as well. There are other examples, similar to this one. Outdoor Track and Field to Soccer and vice-versa, and Cross Country over to Football (the football playoffs start one week after the state cross country meet), but it was the Wrestling to Indoor Track and Field transition, that was getting the most complaints.

The board also added, that if an athlete moves from one sport to another, the team can’t schedule an extra regular season game, so that the athlete can meet the requirements of the new rule.

Golf Spectators:

The board passed on first reading, changes to rule 7.8.76, that would allow spectators on the playing area of a golf course, in all 2A events, including the state meet. Currently this rule is allowed in 4A and 3A, but not in 2A. This is a first reading item, and must undergo another reading to make it official.

State Indoor Track Qualifications:

The board passed on second reading, making it official, changes to rule 7.14.81 and 7.14.81.5, reducing the number of qualifiers from each school to various indoor track and field events at the state meet.

The new rule is 4 individuals per event, and 6 in shot put.

The old rule was 6 and 8 respectively.

Also each school can only have one relay team, per relay event at the state meet. An official entry on a relay team, counts as one of the four events, in which a participant may compete.

Soccer Standings:

The board passed on first reading, a change to rule 7.11.42, in how soccer standings are kept in conference games.

Currently a team get 3 points in the conference standings for a win vs. conference opponent, and 1 point for a tie.

The new proposal is what the National Hockey League does.

Teams would get 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 1 point for losing in overtime. This would only apply to games vs. conference opponents.

The rationale is this would create a new way to help seeding for regional tournaments, and try to avoid ties in the standings, and coin flips to determine seeding.

This is a first reading item, and must undergo another reading to make it official.